Back rest



Aug. 28,?1951 A F. DE MIER, SR

BACK REST Filed sept. 29, 194s luz nto;

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Ailorney Patented Aug. 28, 1951 BACK REST Fred De Mier, Sr., Miami, Okla.

Application September 29, 1948, Serial No. 51,833

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel construction of auxiliary back rest which is particularly adapted for use in motor vehicles such as automobiles but which may likewise be used in conjunction with the seats of railway cars or busses or, in fact, with any seat provided with a back rest.

More particularly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary back rest capable of being supported by a seat and maintaining a substantially upright position against the forward side of the back rest thereof and which is designed to afford the user a device which will correctly t the back and afford a support for the small of the back and assist the user in maintaining a proper posture.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary back rest adapted to t snugly against the back of the user and which is formed of a relatively thick yieldable material for absorbing road shocks and vibrations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary back rest of extremely simple construction provided with reinforcing means for maintaining it in an extended, upright position "1 when placed against the forward side of the back rest of a seat to eliminate the need of securing the auxiliary back rest thereto.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the :following description of the drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is an edge elevational vieW showing the auxiliary back rest in an applied position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the back rest;

Figure 3 is a vertical substantially central sectional view thereof;

Figure 4 is an edge elevational view partially in section of the back rest;

Figure 5 is a perspective view thereof;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the reinforcing members of the back rest, and

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of another form of one of the reinforcing members.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel back rest in its entirety is designated generally 8 and comprises a relatively thick pad or cushion formed of any suitable yieldable material such as sponge rubber which is provided with an outer beveled edge 9 which extends along the side edges thereof and across the top of the back rest 8. The side edges of the back rest 8 preferably converge slightly from their lower toward their upper ends, as best seen in Figure 2 and terminate at their upper ends in rounded corners I0 which merge with the upper edge of the back rest 8. The bottom edge of the back rest 8, intermediate of its side edges, is provided with a rounded recess II the edge of which is likewise beveled forming two corresponding depending legs I2 of the back rest, one of which is located adjacent each side edge thereof. The bottom edges or ends of the legs I2 are not beveled and are adapted to rest upon a portion of a seat such as the vehicle seat I3, illustrated in Figure l, for supporting the back rest 8 against the forward side of the conventional back rest I4 of the seat I3.

The sponge rubber or other cushioning material from which the back rest 8 is formed is reinforced by a pair of reinforcing members I5 which may be formed of metal or other rigid material and each of which includes an elongated bar having an enlargement or foot I6 at its lower end and provided with a plurality of tapered prongs Il Which are struck therefrom and which project obliquely from opposite sides thereof and generally toward the foot I6. One of the reinforcing members I5 is inserted into a recess I8 which opens outwardly of each of the legs I2 and which recesses extend upwardly from the lower end of the back rest 8 to a point above the intermediate portion of said back rest. The reinforcing members I5 are forced upwardly into the recesses I8 until the foot members I6 thereof are disposed above the bottom edges of the legs I2 of the back rest and it will be readily apparent that the prongs Il will penetrate the yieldable material of the back rest 8 to retain said reinforcing members I5 positioned therein as illustrated in full lines in Figure 4 and in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3.

Both sides of the back rest 8 are identical so that either side thereof may be disposed outermost to be engaged by the back of the user and each side of the material forming the back rest 8 is preferably provided with sockets or recesses I9 to afford an air circulating means. The back rest 8 is preferably enclosed in a covering of loosely woven fabric, a portion of which is illustrated at 20 in Figure 3.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the auxiliary back rest 8 can be supported against the conventional back rest I4 and with either side thereof outermost and with the lower ends of its legs I2 resting on the vehicle seat I3. The reinforcing members I5 will maintain the back rest 8 including the legs I2 in an extended position and will prevent the back rest from crawling or creeping downward. The back rest 8 is constructed and shaped to snugly t the back and the recess II thereof is adapted to accommodate the lower portion of the back and spine and so that the portion of the back rest 8 disposed directly thereabove will fit snugly against the small of the back to thereby assist a passenger of a vehicle to maintain a proper yet comfortable posture while riding. The provision of the reinforcing members I eliminates the need for fastening the auxiliaryback rest 8 either to the back rest I4 or seat I3 and causes the auxiliary back rest 8 to at all times maintain its correct position as illustrated in Figure 1 with respect to the seat I3 and back rest I4 and without any tendency of the auxiliary back rest to creep downwardly. The beveled edges of the back rest 8 are provided to insure a comfortable engagement of al1 parts of the body of the user with said auxiliary back rest 8.

A slightly modified form of reinforcing members may be employed in lieu of the reinforcing members I5 and which, as illustrated in Figure 7, includes a bar I5a having a foot member |60, at its lower end and which differs from the reinforcing members I5 in that in lieu of the prongs I'I, the. bar of the reinforcing member I5a is cut inwardly and upwardly along its side edges and' with the portions thereof disposed outwardly and above cuts bent outwardly to forni the downwardly and outwardly projecting prongs Ila which function in the same manner and for the same purpose as the prongs I1.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

J claim as my invention:

1. An auxiliary back rest comprising an elongated thick solid pad or cushion of a yieldable material having a bottom edge provided with a recess disposed intermediate of the side edges of the pad or cushion forming a pair of ccrresponding depending legs for supporting the pad or cushion in substantially an upright position, said recessed bottom edge portion having an upper edge disposed nearer to the lower ends of the legs than to the upper edge of the pad or cushion, said pad or cushion containing a pair of rigid reinforcing members disposed internally thereof and extending downwardly from above the intermediate portion of the pad or cushion to adjacent the lower ends of the legs thereof, each of said reinforcing members comprising a substantially rigid bar having an enlargement at its lower end forming a foot member and a plurality of prongs struck therefrom and projecting outwardly and downwardly with respect thereto for anchoring said reinforcing member in the pad or cushion.

2, An auxiliary back rest as in claim l, said pad or cushion being formed of sponge rubber.

FRED DE MIER, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the :die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 360,442 Hyde et al. Apr. 5, 1887 1,512,260 Wilson Oct. 2l, 1924 

